MATTHEW MAYNARD yesterday became only the third Glamorgan player to register 50 hundreds for the club in first-class cricket.

MATTHEW MAYNARD yesterday became only the third Glamorgan player to register 50 hundreds for the club in first-class cricket.

Maynard scored a superb 129 on the opening day of Glamorgan's County Championship match against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl as the Welsh county moved into a strong position.

Only Hugh Morris and Alan Jones - each with 52 - have scored more for the club.

Maynard's display and Adrian Dale's 123 - his first century of the summer - were the highlights of Glamorgan's season-best total of 436-9 as the Hampshire attack was roasted in the scorching heat.

The pair shared a stand of 129 in 24 overs for the fourth wicket and their top-quality strokeplay only added to Hampshire's recent woes.

Over the past 10 days, Hampshire have lost the services of batsman Robin Smith and seamer Alan Mullally through injury, while Ed Giddins has retired.

On Monday overseas all-rounder Wasim Akram had asked to be released from his contract for medical reasons.

Then, before play started yesterday, Hampshire lost another bowler when spinner Shaun Udal aggravated a shoulder injury and 28-year-old Richard Hindley, a local club player, was hastily called up for his county debut.

With nothing going right for them, it was inevitable that Hampshire captain John Crawley should lose the toss and spend the day in the field.

However, his bowlers did make an early breakthrough as Jonathan Hughes was caught and bowled in the third over as he drove a ball back to Dimitri Mascarenhas.

Jimmy Maher then unfurled some immaculate drives, and he appeared untroubled by an inexperienced Hampshire attack which also included James Tomlinson, the Cardiff University student.

It was Tomlinson though who ended Maher's innings for 30, albeit in rather usual circumstances with the total on 69. A ball from the left-armer reared up from a length, striking the Queenslander on the gloves and causing him to drop his bat onto the stumps.

This was the last bit of good fortune Hampshire enjoyed as Dale remained unperturbed and continued to punish any loose deliveries, striking three fours in seven balls from James Bruce.

Both he and his partner, Michael Powell, were restrained for a while by the leg-spin of Simon Katich. After six accurate overs, Powell lofted the bowler straight for six, but Katich gained revenge as Powell, on 44, edged to Derek Kenway at slip.

Dale continued to make serene progress and reached his deserved century by pulling Tomlinson to the mid-wicket boundary - his 16th four from 179 balls.

Maynard then started to punish Hampshire bowlers wilting in the heat, the 37-year-old pulled Bruce for six over square leg before repeating the trick by clubbing Katich high over long-off. He then hit three fours in succession from Hindley's gentle off-spin.

Maynardgalloped to 50 from just 51 balls. But he lost his partner in the final over before tea as Dale got an edge pushing forward to Katich and was caught at slip.

Straight after the interval Mark Wallace was bowled by Katich, but Robert Croft survived the hat-trick ball.

Maynard duly reached his personal landmark with a pull down to the long leg boundary off Tomlinson, his hundred coming from just 107 balls.

Croft gave Maynard useful support and the pair added 73 in 19 overs for the sixth wicket before the skipper drove Mascarenhas to cover. In the final half-hour Alex Wharf and Michael Kasprowicz weighed in with some lusty blows.

Three overs before the close Maynard's majestic innings came to an end as he edged a ball from Chris Tremlett to wicket-keeper Nic Pothas.